The theory of Dependent Origination (Pratītya Samutpāda; Pāli: paticca-samuppāda), which literally means “arising on the ground of a preceding cause.” The texts of the Theravada tradition portray Śāriputra (the Buddha’s disciple) as saying “whoever understands Dependent Origination understands the teaching of the Buddha, and whoever understands the teaching of the Buddha understands Dependent Origination”. The theory of Dependent Origination is usually divided into 12 links

The Four Noble Truths are known best for their appearance in the classic Turning of the Wheel of Dharma. The Four Noble Truths are often employed as an organizing principle to describe the more detailed and complex set of teachings that are the framework for more specific meditation practices. The Four Noble Truths are the most significant teaching in all of Buddhism’s varied schools and

Suffering is a basic characteristic of all life in this world, and is the first of the four noble truths taught by the Buddha and recorded in the various Buddhist canons. Suffering is a characteristic of an ordinary – imperfect existence and it continues until Liberation from the 3 Poisons of the Mind is reached, until the perfect Buddhahood is attained. Suffering is also the

Impermanence, as the Sanskrit word anitya or Pāli word anicca are generally translated, is one of the 3 characteristics of the phenomenal world, or the world in which human beings live: The concept of impermanence is fundamental to all Buddhist schools: Everything that exists in this world is impermanent. No element of physical matter or any concept remains unchanged, including the Skandha (Aggregate) that make

Etymologically, Anātman (Pāli, anattā) consists of the negative prefix an- plus Ātman (i.e., without Ātman) and is translated as no-self, no-soul, or no-ego. Buddhism maintains that since everything is conditioned, and thus subject to Anitya (Impermanence), the question of Ātman as a self-subsisting entity does not arise, that anything that is impermanent is inevitably Duḥkha (Suffering) and out of our control (Anātman), and thus cannot

Karuṇā (Compassion), along with Prajñā (Wisdom), are the two virtues universally affirmed by Buddhists: Basically, Karuṇā is defined as the wish that others be free of suffering, in contradistinction to maitrī (love; Pāli, mettā), which is the wish that others be happy. Compassion is a quality that a Buddha is believed to possess to the greatest possible degree, and that Buddhists still on the path

The term Karma, which literally means “action,” is frequently used in the context of what can be called the doctrine of Karma: This belief is nowadays shared by many Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and others, but the details can vary considerably between different believers. Early Buddhism does not identify bodily and mental motion, but Desire (or thirst, tṛṣṇā), as the cause of karmic consequences.

Merit (puṇya) is karmic virtue acquired through moral and ritual actions; it is widely regarded as the foundation of Buddhist ethics and salvation. the vast majority of Buddhist communities affirm the soteriological effects of good actions. As indicated by the term merit- making, virtue is the deliberate result of human consideration and conduct. As a moral commodity, merit is quantifiable. Merit can also be transferred

The majority of Buddhist monastics are not hermits or solitary wanderers. Monastics, even those who may choose to take up a solitary life from time to time, belong to the Buddhist Saṅgha or community. Buddhist monastic communities include everything from extremely large and wealthy urban monasteries, to mid-size and small village monasteries, to forest, cave, and mountain monasteries. Buddhist monasticism dates back to the Śākyamuni